Spring Classic 5K Cambridge

Cool (high 30’s) and cloudy ruled the air in Cambridge for the Spring Classic 5K. The course is flat thus in theory, fast. I ran this course back when it was a New England Grand Prix 5K Championship a decade ago. Team Notch was set up in the tent area. The quad was loaded with tents, probably over 40 made up of running clubs or local Cambridge companies. Cases of Castle Island piled under each tent.

Bib pickup was seamless and plenty of port-o-johns ready. I ran a 12 minute warm up and got into the start line 30 rows deep within a huge field (2.5K runners). After the start line pistol went off, the start was crowded for the first three turns all within the first .3 miles before reaching Mass Ave. I reached the mile at 7:27. I slowed during the second mile to a 7:53 but was well under the 8:00 minute per mile pace goal for the day. My right quad, the strong one, was burning in a good way.

The last mile slowed again to an 8:02 before opening up a bit for the last .17 at 7:10 pace. I crossed the finish line in 24:35 per my watch, measured 3.17 miles and 7:45 pace. The unofficial time had me at 23:34, 7:55 pace. My average heart rate was only 140 bpm for the event, well under the 160+ per race since getting back into it in February. Am I seeing fitness improve with my 18 miles run per week? I headed out for cool down out to the Charles River and a lap around the MIT track where I spent many workouts and races in the late 90’s early 2000’s.

Spring Classic 5K race results March 30, 2025

Hibernian 5K

The Lynn Hibernian 5K race was on the radar. Krissy and I arrived an hour before the 11AM start with plenty of parking at Market Basket. The Racewire team was setting up the start and finish outside the Hibernian Club. It was sunny but windy with temps in the mid 30’s. Before getting to the start line, I ran a warm up less than .75 miles.

The race went off and I settled in letting the youngsters sprint out and about. A slight tail wind was behind us heading down Boston Street. I found it odd to stay on the right side of the road when we turned left at the VA Hospital. In the past, the race would run right against the traffic and hug the tangents on the counterclockwise direction of the course. Lynn native, Dennis Donahue would pass me around 1 mile (8:04). We crossed a few busy intersections like Myrtle Steet finding plenty of Lynn’s finest keeping the runners safe. Mile two slowed into some wind with an 8:25 mile just before reaching the left at Lynn Classical High School.

Keslar Ave rose up at the end for us to then turn left on Boston Street for the last of the climb past the Tower Hill Fire Station. From there on to the finish it can be fast if you have something left in the tank. I went back and forth with another competitor over the last 800m. My last mile was 8:12 with the last 0.11 was at 7:09 pace. I crossed the finish line in 35^th overall, 25:23 (8:10.2) mile pace. I gathered myself in a minute and headed back out to find Krissy and run her in for 34:51 being her quickest 5K this year.  

Lynn Hibernian 5K road race results March 23, 2025

Irish Clover 5 mile

The last of the Wild Rover Series (3 races, 3 weeks, 3 distances) was up in Dracut for the Irish Clover 5 mile. It was hosted at Owen & Ollie’s Restaurant.  A bright sun was shining with temps in the high 30’s with a light breeze. As per the previous two races, I started next to Stephen Martin about 10 rows back.

The relatively flat first mile went by in 8:05, indeed too fast. The course dropped down to the lowest elevation at 1.5 miles so a climb ensued into mile two which went by in 8:48. At 2.5 another climb put us beyond mile 3. I lost several places on the climbs. I was crawling up trying to not over do it as I am sure my HR was up to 170 already. The third mile passed by with the slowest of the day in 9:23. A decent drop after 3.6 miles but still losing a few spots as we ran past some farm-land and nice views of the Merrimack Valley. Mile 4 went by in 8:56 before a slight rally in the last mile (8:23) which rolled up and down into the finish.

I finished 143^rd and 8^th out of 34 in my 5 year age group. The chip time was 43:53 and gun was 44:01. All three of the races (3 mile, 4 mile, 5 mile) were raced in the mid-8:40’s. Not too bad considering I went into each of the first two races with just one run per week and two in this final week. I had a lot of fun within the series with Krissy who ran 64 minutes on the day capping off a decent running after a long lay-off for both of us. Each race had the Irish theme with a good vibe of folks, friends, challenging courses, beer, food and medals for all.

Up next if the legs are willing: Hibernian 5K in Lynn and the April Fools 4 mile.

4 Leaf Rover 4 mile

Race 2 out of 3 for the Wild Rover Series was hosted in Lawrence out of the Lawrence Elks. The 4 Leaf Rover (4 mile) was also part of the New England Runner Pub Series so there was extra competition within all age groups and the overall results showed that.

I had a tough week of training coming into the race with a sore knee and a single 2.8 mile run. The weather was in the mid 20’s but sunny. My warm up was from the Elks parking lot over to the start line .3 miles away. I started next to Stephen Martin as I did last week about 12 rows back from the line. I got out to a 8:37 flat first mile within the industrial park. The knee was not an issue. I was settled in upon approach of the residential neighborhood but preparing mentally for the climb starting at 1.25 miles.

The course profile showed that the last climb and high point would be around 2.6 miles. Mile 2 was paced out at 9:07. Everett McBride went by me with two water towers on the horizon at about 2.4 miles. He did a snowshoe race the day before. I remember those snowshoe days well but would not beat up the body too bad. 

Once beyond those two water towers, we were greeted with a decent down hill into mile three where I clocked an 8:56. It was nice to open the stride. The last mile was all flat taking us back into the industrial park. 

I got my best cadence there picking up the pace for the fastest mile of the day toward the finish line with an 8:18. I passed a few people but not before something in the knee got my attention forcing me to jump in pain on the approach of the finish line. I had to back off and regroup for the last 25 yards to the finish line.

I finished in 153^rd place, 13^th in the 5 yr age group, chip time of 34:52, gun time of 35:03. The pace for the 4 miles (8:44) was similar to the 3 mile last week. Krissy ran great, running 47:06. 

The final race of the series is next, adding 1 mile for the Irish Clover 5 mile in Dracut.

Wild Rover Series 2025

4 Leaf Rover 4 mile results March 2, 2025 

Frozen Shamrock 3 mile - Wild Rover Series

The first of three consecutive road races kicked off the Wild Rover Series. This was the 3 mile hosted in Haverhill via Maria's Restaurant in downtown. Race directors Dave Labrode and Dave Camire confirmed late in the week that they had 520 runners already signed up so this was going to be a popular race and series. I came into the race well rested with just a 8:31 paced test on Wednesday’s Notch 5K. The left knee was sore ever since but three days of rest helped out. I ran a very short warm up with David Harper from CMS. Nice to catch up with him as he is running so well in his late 50's (he would go on to be the top senior on the day running low 6 minute miles). 

I piled into the start line next to Stephen Martin about 20 rows from the start line. Good clean start and before I knew it a mile had passed by. I was settled into the pace of the day which felt sustainable. Then we took a left away from the river and up a hill and around a cemetary. The hill was long and I had to back off a bit. I lost some places from there on out despite getting back to the flat section at mile two taking us back to downtown and the finish line. I regrouped a bit but gained very few places. 

I finished 9th out of 32 within the 50-54 age group, chip time 26:14 (26:23 gun time), 153rd overall. The 8:45 pace in the end was slower than my shake out four days earlier but there was much more elevation here in Haverhill. Rumor has it that the next two races in the series have just as much for hills but the distances jump to 4 and 5 miles. Meanwhile, Krissy ran her first race in a few years. She ran great, covering the distance in 34 minutes!

Great Bay 5K Race for a Healthy Estuary

It was a perfect fall day in the upper 40’s for the race start in Stratham, NH with the fast point to point course finishing at the Great Bay Discovery Center in Greenland, NH. The race had well deserved moment of silence and notice of race dedication for Bob Kennedy who was the long-time race director who tragically passed away this past July. I did a 2 mile warm up and got on the starting line with Thom Lubas of Wicked and NE 65+, about a dozen rows back. My watch was not ready as the start went off so I was fiddling with that as I started the race. 

It did not bother my pace as I caught up to Karen about a half mile into the race. She, Don Withee and I were repping Notch. Karen and I ran together through 1.5 miles passing the mile around 7:25. I motored through for a 7:18 second mile. A few hills in the final mile had me slowing back down for a 7:29. I lost about a dozen places coming into the finish with a 23:15 net time, good for 5^th place in the 50-54 age group. It was my first race as a senior age group runner. Don set a lifetime PR (while in his mid 50’s) with a 19:11 and Karen ran 23:46. Krissy, Maryann and I hung out for a great post race at the Discovery Center. Where else can you get Pizza, Cookies, Brownies and Starbucks Coffee at 9:30AM following a fast 5K?

Place 135 (5^th 50-54)

Pace 7:29

Net time 23:15 (Gun Time 23:23)

http://www.iresultslive.com/?op=summary&eid=6196

BSC 5K – Marlborough, MA

Full Results: https://my.racewire.com/result/9556839

34^th place, 24:37 and 7/22 in the 40-49 age group. I went out on the downhill as easy as possible. Still ran 7:11 for the 1^st mile and 7:37 for the 2^nd mile. The gut check was the uphill last mile which hurt, checking in with a 9:04 for the last 1.1 miles. Overall the time was about 90 seconds slower than last year. The race does not get any easier. 

Boston Scientific was able to raise over $5K from the race entries and donate to Community Servings.